SUMMARY
President Trump again proved his political power in Texas as his endorsed candidate in the Senate primary won in a landslide. Ken Paxton secured the GOP nomination, beating incumbent Sen. John Cornyn. Paxton will face Democratic nominee James Talarico in the fall in what’s set to be one of the nation’s marquee midterm races. Geoff Bennett discussed the results with Brandon Rottinghaus.
View the transcript of the story.
NOTE: If you are short on time, watch the video and complete this bell ringer activity: What did you notice? What did the story make you think about? What would you want to learn more about?
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Key terms
redistricting — the practice of drawing congressional district lines
gerrymandering — redistricting to benefit one political party over another; the practice dates back to the 19th century
WARM-UP QUESTIONS
- Who is Ken Paxton, and who did he defeat in the Texas Republican Senate primary?
- Why is Senator John Cornyn's primary loss the "end of the Bush era Republican model in Texas politics," according to Brandon Rottinghaus?
- How is the current Republican party different than the past Republican party, according to Rottinghaus?
- When did Democrats last win a statewide race in Texas?
- What has redistricting done to the prospects of Democrats in Texas?
ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS
- After watching this segment, do you think it is true that the Republican party has changed in recent years? If so, how? If not, why not?
- What do you think will be some of the key issues to Texas voters in the fall election?
Media literacy: Examine the infographic below. Why do you think so much money has been spent on this primary race? How do you think that money might have influenced voters?
WHAT STUDENTS CAN DO
As noted in the questions and infographic above, the U.S. Senate race in Texas was the most expensive in U.S. history. The U.S. House race in Kentucky's 4th Congressional District, which resulted in Ed Gallrein beating incumbent Rep. Thomas Massie, was the most expensive in the history of the House of Representatives. In his concession speech, Massie took a shot at his opponent over the many millions of dollars that pro-Israel groups poured in to the primary to try to defeat the incumbent.
But Republicans aren't the only ones spending record money on primaries. Read the article, Billionaire Tom Steyer's ad spending breaks records in California governor's race, about spending in the California governor's race, and then discuss —
California gubernatorial candidate Tom Steyer walks after casting his ballot and speaking to the press outside City Hall in San Francisco, California, U.S., May 26, 2026. REUTERS/Manuel Orbegozo
- This article mentions a number of politicians who have spent large fortunes but lost anyway. Do you think spending is important in winning elections?
- If politicians can spend lots of money and lose anyway, why do you think they use spending as a strategy?
- How much do you think money influences voters' decisions?
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